If I cast shield companion on a familiar before casting familiar melding (which projects my psyche into my familiar), would half the damage I take whilst in my familiar's body still transfer to my real body?
Yes, nothing in familiar melding negates the effects of shield companion.
First, long question is long.
Second, technically it would. However, the question then becomes "What's the HP of your theoretical corpse?" Whether your "corpse" has the same hit points as yourself is a whole different question. To which end, based on petrification rules, I'd say it would be.
I've seen longer.
First, long question is long.
Second, technically it would. However, the question then becomes "What's the HP of your theoretical corpse?" Whether your "corpse" has the same hit points as yourself is a whole different question. To which end, based on petrification rules, I'd say it would be.
Except it is not a corpse. To all appearances dead =/= actually dead. It is still the casters body, together with all of it's HP. The HP don't travel with the familiar, they stay right there.
The sticking point, I thought, would have been that 'you' and 'your familiar' are in the same body. Does the familiar melding spell attach to your body or your soul?
Are 'you' your body or your soul (for the purpose of the spell/rules, though I am sure that is also a fascinating metaphysical discussion).
"You keep your Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, level, class, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, alignment, and mental abilities. The familiar's body retains its own Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, hit points, natural abilities, and automatic abilities."
So, "you" don't have your own hp when this spell is in effect, because you don't "keep" that. Rather your hp becomes the familiar's hp. So, your familiar takes half damage and then you take the other half as your familiar, meaning that you basically take full damage.
This is basically the old "Do spells stick with the body of the soul when you use Magic Jar?" question, in disguise.
It's never really been resolved.
True. Our forum consensus seems to be that "bodily" effects stay with the bodies, while "mind" or "soul" effects go with the conciousness.
But the actual game rules are silent on the matter.
If you are trying to rule that the spell stays connected to the body rather than your spirit, then you have to take that all of the way. Meaning that you would need to keep your body within close range of your familiar the entire time or the shield companion spell ends.